HTC Universal

HTC Universal
Manufacturer High Tech Computer Corporation
Type Pocket PC phone
Retail availability Q3 2005
Media SD (with SDIO, but not SDHC), 128 MB internal flash storage
Operating system Windows Mobile 5.0
CPU Intel Bulverde 520 MHz
Display 3.6" 64k-color 640x480(VGA) Transflective TFT
Input Keyboard/Touchscreen
Camera 1.3 Megapixel + VGA
Touchpad Resistive Touchscreen
Connectivity GSM/GPRS, Bluetooth 1.2, WiFi 802.11b, USB, IR, WCDMA / UMTS (more commonly known as 3G)
Power 1620mAh Lithium Ion Polymer battery

The HTC Universal is a Windows Mobile 5.0 Pocket PC phone, manufactured by High Tech Computer Corporation. It was the first 3G/UMTS-enabled Pocket PC phone, and also the first to come with Windows Mobile 5.0 pre-installed.

It is sold by many different vendors under the names of O2 xda Exec, Orange SPV M5000, Dopod 900, Qtek 9000, T-Mobile MDA Pro, I-mate JasJar, Vodafone v1640, Vodafone VPA IV, E-Plus PDA IV, etc. Despite all the different model names and housing appearance, they all have identical hardware specifications with small differences in the external color and branding.

The most eye-catching feature of this device is its 180-degree swivel screen, allowing a quick swap between portrait mode and landscape mode. The GUI automatically adjusts screen orientation accordingly.

SIM lock

Most network-supplied versions of the Universal are shipped SIM-locked, with the O2 XDA Exec being a notable exception. However, a free SIM unlocking tool was released.[1] This process involves flashing a new Radio ROM onto the device, and it may invalidate the warranty.

Detailed specifications

Extended batteries

There are many high-capacity "extended" batteries available for the HTC Universal. 2600mAh, 3150mAh, 3200mAh, 3800mAh, 4800mAh and even 5200mAh models have been sold by various retailers, which allow the device to run for more than a week in many cases on a single charge (with light to medium use). All extended batteries have one big drawback though, they are all supplied with a new plastic back to hold the battery, which considerably increases the size and weight of the device.

The 3800 mAh battery is a Li Ion battery with model number PU16B manufactured by Dynapack International Technology Corporation in Taiwan. It is rated at 3.7 VDC (or 4.2 VDC). It increased the weight of HTC Universal to 350 g. It allows the use of the camera by holes built in the battery plastic container. Its price is about 30 EUR as of October 2008. With this battery, HTC Universal can operate up to 200 hours without GSM/UMTS/Bluetooth/WiFi or about 100–150 hours with UMTS and Bluetooth on.

Unofficial extensions

With registry editing and/or ROM re-flashing (both of which should only be done by people who are confident and experienced with these processes), substantial extra functionality can be added to this device. A few examples follow (there are many more):

Linux

It is possible to install a custom version of Linux on the HTC Universal. Despite the lack of cooperation by HTC (and most other smartphone/PPC manufacturers for that matter), drivers for most of the device's components are functional (the two cameras and the flash ROM being the only significant exceptions). It is possible to run various handheld Linux distributions on the Universal, though application support is in its infancy.

Windows Mobile 6 (Crossbow)

There are numerous "unofficial" builds of Windows Mobile 6 (Crossbow) which have been made to run on this device, and now even some tools which allow users to create their own custom WM6 ROM images (a process commonly known by the term "cooking ROMs"). There is a thriving community of people dedicated to improving these WM6 builds (and associated tools) on the Universal.

References

  1. ↑ SIM unlocking tool by buzz_lightyear
  2. ↑ R., Edward J. (29 January 2006). "HTC Universal also supports fast Wi-Fi (802.11g) !". MSMobiles.com. Archived from the original on 21 October 2010.
  3. ↑ HTC Universal also supports fast Wi-Fi (802.11g) at XDA-Developers
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